Satellites

Global Positioning System

GPS is used to locate the users position on the ground. GPS is often combined with software such as satnav to plot routes from your current location to an end location. GPS is used in the construction industry for surveying as well as by the military and delivering companies

Advantages

• High degree of accuracy

• Can be linked to many different applications, satnav, Google maps

Disadvantages:

• Need a line of sight to satellite

• Quality dependent on the software  installed not, the GPS

• Dependent on technology and batteries

Weather

These are sutems that observe they can take pictures that are sent back to earth and used to analyse weather systems. The pictures can vary, they can be normal photographs or thermal and infrared. These pictures are used to monitor and predict weather patterns and look at the effects of pollution and natural disasters

Advantages

• The impact of natural and man made disasters can be viewed

• With geostationary satellites, the same view can be taken repeatedly

• Weather predictions can be made and hurricane and storm warnings given

Disadvantages

• The images taken need to be interpreted

• Only a certain number of photos a day can be recieved with a polar orbit

• A polar orbit shows a small area in detail. A geostationary orbit shows a large area but in less detail

Data…